U.S. Statement at the Universal Periodic Review of Malaysia
31st Session
Geneva, November 8, 2018
as delivered by Anna Palladino
The United States welcomes the Malaysian delegation to the UPR Working Group.
We commend Malaysia for its peaceful democratic transition following this year’s general election. We also commend the government for allowing Uighurs to travel to Turkey, preventing their possible refoulement to China.
We recommend Malaysia:
- Rescind or revise the Sedition Act, Security Offenses Act, and Communications and Multimedia Act, which negatively affect freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly.
- Enhance protections for the right of freedom of religion or belief for all people in Malaysia, including the right to freely choose and practice their faith.
- Increase efforts to prosecute and convict human traffickers, including complicit officials; protect victims; and reduce migrant workers’ vulnerability to debt bondage.
We remain concerned by the existence of laws negatively affecting fundamental freedoms. We are also concerned that migrant workers, indigenous peoples, refugees, and LGBTI persons often face discrimination or exploitation, and that freedom of religion is threatened by increasing intolerance of religious diversity.